​Did you know that today is National Creamsicle Day!? Neither did I but it didn’t stop me from having a popsicle for lunch! Since creamsicles are orange, let’s take a look at some things found right here at Sheep Pasture that are orange as well!

If you haven’t noticed yet, summer seems to slowly be coming to a close. Some of the trees are starting to lose their deep green leaves and are preparing for the fall and winter. They will eventually stop the flow of sugar rich sap to their leaves, causing the chlorophyll to break down, leading to beautiful orange, yellow, and red foliage. While this hasn’t fully happened yet, keep a lookout for the color change that marks the autumn season.

​Opposite of up in the trees, let’s take a look down on the ground. Seeing one of our brightest oranges at Sheep Pasture usually takes a keen eye and a little log rolling. The Eastern/Red-Spotted Newt has a juvenile terrestrial stage that is known as a red eft stage. During this time, the newt is a bright orangish-red with a yellow belly and red spots on its back. This bold orange is a form of warning coloration as the newt does have some toxicity in their body serving as a deterrent against predators. Did you know that an Eastern Newt can live up to 15 years in the wild?

​One of my favorite oranges can be found in our sensory garden behind the carriage house. There are many different plants in the garden with unique smells, textures, and colors. A few of the brightest colors are found in the calendulas and sunflowers. Our sunflowers this year are a heritage variety, meaning they are comprised of a few species that are an older variety and are not as common as your typical sunflower. They can reach heights up to 10 or 11 feet tall and can have a “double center,” making them look soft and bushy. The calendulas are also a bright orange and yellow color and make a great food source for pollinators.​

​Feel free to come see all the orange here at Sheep Pasture, but don’t forget your popsicle. Happy National Creamsicle Day!!